Mechanism for sharpening razor blades



Nov. 27 1923.

R. L. BOULTER MECHANISM FOR SHARPEYNING RAZOR BLADES Fi led Aug.

20 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 27 1923.

R. L. BOULTER MECHANISM FOR SHARPENING RAZOR BLADES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 3 1 v .60 4; 2 z 7 Y Z 1 l 0 z 4 2 a a fl I n o 1 m H 4 M 7 a 4 a f a mzlbzzfl, I

Nov. 27, 1923.

5 Sheets-Sheet R. L. BOULTER- MECHANISM FOR SHARPENING RAZOR BLADES- 7 Filed Aug.

gm nlllll lili 1..

llimlm I III] Nov. 27, 1923.

. R'- L. BOULTER MECHANISM FOR SHARPENING RAZOR BLADES 20, 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug.

KOZHZLZDOULTIR,

Faterited Nov. 2?, 1923.

f tilillf SE'FATES Bevan 1.. BOULTER, or LOS ANGELES, catrroeiim.

A T o MECHANISM FOR SHARPENING RAZOR BLADES.

Application filed August 20, 1919. Serial No. 320,040.

tion are; to provide improved mechanism.

adapted to hold a razor blade in yielding and adjustable contact with a moving sharpening surface; to'provide in a mechanism of the character referred to, means for auto 5 matically moving said razor blade holder longitudinally of the blade and crosswise of said moving sharpening surface, together with means for swinging said holding mechanism from one side to the other, whereby to move the blade so as to cause its opposite sides to alternately engage the moving sharpening surface; to provide a plurality of endless sharpening members or elements with driving means therefor together with means for adjusting the same to different angles, relative to each other and to the opposite sides of the razor blade holder; to provide means for yieldably supporting the razor blade holder, whereby it can turn about its longitudinal axis for the purpose of permitting the blade to automatically adjust itself so that its edge will contact uniformly with the surface of the moving sharpening element; and to provide in a mechanism of the character referred to means for automatically and intermittently moving said razor blade holder through its different movements, whereby to get a uniform and rapidsharpening action on the razor blades. Other advantages and improved features of construction will be ap-' Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view longitudinally thereof; 1

Fig. 5 1s an end view thereof;

Fig. 6 is atransverse vertical sectional view thereof;

Fig. 7 is an end view looking-at the opposite end from that shown in Fig. 5; I

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged top plan view of the a blade holder in place in the holding bracket therefor, with a part of the handle broken off to reduce the size of the figure;

Fig. 10' is a fragmentary side elevation of the same; I Fig. '11 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, taken on line 11 11 of Fig. 10

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectionalview taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a front end view ofsaid razor I holder and bracket, as shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 1 1 is a rear end view with parts shown in section;

Fig. 15 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 1515 of Fig. 9; A

Fig. 16 is a similar view'taken on line 1616, of Fig. 9;

17 is a sectional view taken on line 17-17 of Fig. 9; so

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken on line 18125 of Fig. 10; I

Fig. 19 is atop plan view of the oscillating mechanism apart from the rest of the 7 machine; a 3

Fig. '20 shows in full lines and in dotted lines various positions of movement of said. parts; and 2 Fig. 21 is a sectional view taken on line 21-21 of Fig. 20.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings. my invention as here illustrated, comprises a box 1, having a cover 2, said cover 2 and a flange 3. at one end of the boxbeing extended, as indicated at 1. and pro-- vided with open notches, 5, 5. This end of the box is also provided with supporting lugs 6, 6. between which is supported a plate 7, provided at its lower end with an adjust-' ment screw 8, the inner end of which has a bearing on the end of the box, as at 9;, whereby said plate 7, can be adjusted to and from the box 1. Secured to said plate 7, is a motor 10. v Mounted across said box,

in suitable supporting hearings in the opposite sides thereof, are two shafts 11. and 12. Shaft 11 is provided with a driving pulley 13, driven by a belt 14 from the niotor 10; Said sh'aftl]. is provided, within the box,- with. a gear 15 and with a worm 16. The shaft 12 is provided witha lar 'e gear '17, which meshes with the gear 15, within said box, and is driven therefrom.

Also mounted on said shaft 12," are two bevel 'gears 18 and 19, and an eccentric cam 20.

A supporting bracket '21, across the inside of said box 1, supports'a worm gear 22, in mesh with the wornrlo, on the-shaft 11, as clearly indicated in Figs. Q'and Said gear 22 is provided 'with shaft 23, pro vided at its -u'pper end with a crank the outer end of which is provided with a roller- 25, for a purpose hereinafter referred to. A supporting bracket 26 hooks over the upper top edges'ofi the box '1, at opposite sides,-'as indicatedinFig. 6, and fornis bearingsiortheopposite ends otthe'shait 12, which carries the'fgearsl'fi 18, 19' and the eccentric disc- 20. A vertical shaft'QT is mounted on-thetop of said bracket 'and car ries at its lower end a cam block or 00x28,

enclosing 'saidcamdisc 20, said'shaitt 27 being mounted to be raised and lowered by saidcam QO, a-s the shait12 is revolved. Se cured to the upper end'of said shat" 2'7, above the top or'cover 20f said b0? is a holding bracket 29', having" two vertical.

spaced arms 30, 30, having if-shaped notches screws are provided with lock thumb nuts;

38,38, at'the' end of-thebox 1. Said plate 34 is provided on its under sine with two spaced bearing pins 39, (Fig. 4,) connected at their lower ends with a short bar 10, said pins 39, beingatthe opposite sides .of-the horizontal pin and operating to move saidpin 33 for thepurpose of oscillating: the shaft 27 and the holdingbracket 29 at the upper end thereof. The distance of 0s cillation is controlled by the thumb screws 37, 37. At the forward end of said plate 31, are two guide wings-41, ell, through which project two arms a2 and i3, therear ends of which' are *pivotally secured to =the rear portion of the plate as at 3,

andthe forward' ends 01" my Leh "res 'against the opposite sides of the roller 25, on the crank arm 21-, ca ried zit-the upper end of shaft 23. A spring connects said arms 2 and 43 near the guide wings 4E1, 4C1, as clearlyindicated in Figs. 2, 19 and 20.

Also mounted through said supporting bracket 26 and the top 2 o f said box, are

two vertical shafts at and carryingat their lower ends bevel gears 46 andlT, 1n

IllQSlI with thebevel gears 18 and 19, and

provided at their upper ends with rollers;

48 and 49, said rollers being driven in opposite directions, as will be clear from the driving connections indicated in Fig, (3;

Adjustably mounted at-the opposite end of the-ton'o'f said box are tvo sun-liar rollers 7 I 50 and 51 said rollers bein 'ad ustaolv sunported by flanged bearings 52, whichard cla nped together against the upper and lower surfaces of the extension 4: of said cover and bOXvlll the'open slots'5, 5',"by

means of bolts 53.- Mounted on the rollers 18 and 50, ii anendl'ess, sharpening element or strop 5a. A sunilar sharpening element or str0p55 is mounted onthe rollers K19 and 51, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. J

' Adjustably mounted-in thetop 2'01. b021 1, between the rollers :48 and 50, is adjustment roller 56, carried by a slotted bar'57, anchored to said top 2, as indicated 7 t 58, whereby saidroller 56'can be adjusted longtudinz l at the top and alsotranse o l', for the purpose ot-de'ec verselv th mining "the angle oftli'e sharpening el'einenti or'strop' 54, between the rollers 1'8 and 56.

A similar adjusting roller'59, on a slotted bar 60, adjustably anchored, asat 61, is mounted between rollers 19 an i 51, tor ad justing the angle or "the sharpening eleinent or strop 55 between the rollers' i9, and

The tension of the sharpening elements and 55', is regulated by the adjustment the rollers' 50r and 51.,in-the slots 5.; 5, the'tQp-Q. The ang s o'i'the portions saidshar 'i'enin-g elements orstrops 5-1 and 55, attheir place"o:l engageinent with the razor blade, is determined by the adjustment oi the rollers 56 and 59.

opposite directions by the rollers 48 and 4&9,

which are driven from the bevel gearslS Said endlesssharpeni-ng elements 5 and 55 are dri ven n ill) llii

and 19, as hereinbetore described, the adja- I cent lapsof said-sharpening elements moving in the same dire'ction.

- RGILQQITIHQCOFJ. "6, oneofithe rollers for the sharpening eleinentsor strops is shownin section to illustrate the constructionthereof.

thereto by'means orboi its-48W Thetop ofthe cylindrical portion is formed with an T he hub ortion ie receives thecylindrical portion 18, V which 1s secured oil well 18 therein, with a cap 18 therefor,

h'eldin place by nie'ans'ot a spring 48 Thus the can oncovei 8 eair be pi led b'aelr msrdeof 5 to per'init oil' to "be suppl-ied tdth they are mounted.

also provided which. carry oil from the oil supply in the box 1 to the shafts and bearings on which The top 2 is provided frame. 26 which carries the shafts 46,- 47

and 27, whereby to. facilitate theremoval of these shafts and their bearings.

I will next describe the holder for the lines.

blade to be sharpened.

Referring to Figs. 9: 18, inclusive,'said member comprises a bar 62, provided inter medlate its ends with a collar 63, secured thereto, and at a space therefrom with a second collar 64, movably-mounted thereon and adapted to normally bear against a handle 65. A spring 66 normally moves said collar 64 rearwardly against the handle 65. The'forward end of said bar 62 is threaded and is provided with aconical thumb nut 67. To the forward end of said bar 62, is secured a block 68,by means of set screws 69, 69. Pivotally attached to the opposite sides of said'block 68, are two jaw members 70 and 71, the forward end of.

which are adapted to receive therebetween the razor blade to besharpened. A small expansion spring 72 normally moves said jaws apart. The rear ends or extensions 70 and 71, of said jaws bear against the conical thumb nut 67, whereby the adjustment of said thumb nut 67 forwardly on the bar 62, forces said jaw members 70 and 71 closed, while the adjustment of said conical thumb nut 67 rearwardly, permits said jaws to be opened by the spring 72. Said holder is placed in the holding bracket 29, by inserting it between the arms 30, 30, of said.

bracket, in the forks at the upper ends thereof, with the conical collars 63 and 64 bearing against the inner or adjacent sides of said arms 30, 30, as clearly indicated in Fig. 9. The spring yieldingly holds said collars 63 and 64, in bearing engagement 7 with said arms 30, 30, which are also beveled to fit the same, as indicated, thus the holder for the razor blade is oscillated with said holding bracket 29, about the axis of the supporting shaft 27, for said bracket 29, and said razor holder itself can be turned about the axis of the bar 62, in the arms 30,

30, to permit the blade held between the jaws 70 and 71 to bear uniformly upon the flat moving sharpening elements or strops 54 and 55, as will be clear from Fig. 1.

The use and operation of my invention 7 may be briefly described as follows:

The razor blade, whether of the safety razor type, or other kind of blade, is clamped between the jaws and 71, in a manner which will be very clear from the with an opening 2 which is coextensive .with the bracketfor.

bracket 29 by inserting the collar 64 into the rear arm 30 of-said bracket, pulling-the.

handle and bar 62" rearwardly and coinpressing. the spring '66 until the collar 63 can bemo-ved down into the beveled seat of the forward arm 30 of said bracket29, as

clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 9.:The

blade then is resting betweentheinner and adjacent lapsof the sharpening elements or H strops' 54 and 55, as. clearly indicated in Fig. 1, the blade being indicated in dotted.

The motoris driving the pulley .13, which in turn drives the shaft '11, the gear.

15, and the worm 16. The shaft 12, with its beveled gears 18 and 19, and the eccentric cam disc 20, is also being driven from'the gear 17, which is inmesh with the gear 15. The vertical shafts 46 and 47 are also being driven by. the beveledgea-rs18 and 19, and with theseshafts the rollers48 and 49 are drivenin opposite directions, and drive the.

sharpening elements or strops 54 and 55. The eccentric cam20 is raising andlowering the shaft 27, which carries the razor blade holding bracket .29. This moves the blade upand down longitudinally, and.

across the. faces of the strops 54 and :55. The worm 16, through its connections is driving the crankarm 24, which crank arm' 1 with its roller 25,-operates the arms 42 and 43, on theplate 34,"for the purposeof intermittently-turning said plate. and theshaft 27 for swinging; the. bracket '29, withYthe blade holder, from one side to the other. This operation will 7 be understood more clearly by reference to Figs. 19 and 20. In Fig. 19, the parts are shown in their normal positions, which would leave the razor holding bracket 29 in straight alinement, as

position indicated in Figs. 20 and 11, until said plate 34. is stopped by the upper set screw 37 in said Fig. 20. The continued rotation of said crank arm 24 moves the arm 43 to the dotted line position, and until the roller 25 on the crank arm swings on around and the arm 43 is retracted by the spring 45 again to its position shown in full lines in Fig. 20, at which time, the roller 25 engages the arm 42 and rocks the plate 34 in the opposite direction. and to the position indicated in dotted lines, and until it engages the lower stop 37. The continued downward swing of the crank arm 24 is permitted by the swinging of the arm 42, independently of any further movement of the plate 34, until said crank 24 returns again, to its normal position. Thus the carrying bracket 29 for theblade holder is moved vertically several times in eachpost tionsi This? moves the blade 'v'ertica-lly, or CLOSSW'ISQ off the sharpening-i element orr 1 stropyseveral times between the swingingmovements; from" one strop'to the "other.

5" The maehine runs continuously, the carry-- ing bracket 29 "for the blade 'holder being reciprocate-d vertically-With each revolution of'th'e' eccentric cam discQand-said carrying bracket being oscillatedv about its vertical w axis, or-the shaft 27, with each full turn of the erank arm 24, which;is'driven by the Worm'16;- Thus one side ofthe'razor blade ismovedrepeatedly acrossthe surface of one st-roppan-d'is then swungitothesother strop,'. '1 and its opposite side is *moved; repeatedly in a similar manner across the'othe'r strep. Thls grves rapid sharpenlng actlon, for'both stropsor belts are being .contmuously-gdrlven.

. I am'aware that many 'changes'in details" 21;? can be made in my invention as iherersl rown for. purposes of illustration Without de parting-fronithe 's pirit thereof, and I do not; therefore, limit-"the invention. to the showing: made," except as I may be limited V by-the hereto appended claims.-

I-elalm': 7

1.]In "a machine for sharpening razor blades, a. housing-With motor, shafts'througli the side ofsaid-housing with gearsthereon v within said housin with means to be'driven' C, from said motor, vertical shafts through the top. of said'housing with gears in'niesh with the gears on said first shafts; driving pulleys on the'shafts through the topof sail-d housing, to be "driventhereby; two" endless sharpeningelements mounted on said pullystobe drivenith'ereby; withadjacentlaps of said sharpening elements runningfin the same direction, means for changlng the angle of dlrectlon of said sharpenlng elements at,

positionsopposite each other, a razor blade holder; and supporting and'operating. means. for holding said blade holder: between the.

adjacentlapsorf said sharpening elements with nreans for raising and lowering the: same intermittently and automatically' and for oscillatingit"from onesideto the other between the adjacent sides'ofsai'd sharpening-elements i 2. In amachine of the character described;

a casing-1a shaftin said'casin-g'with gears and an eccentric thereonpshafts through the topiofsald caslngand eonneetedstobWClllVGll from within' said casing,- endless sharpening" elements driveniby said shafts on :tOp of saidcasing, a bladeiholder 'o-peratively supported fromsai'd eccentric, through the'top of said casing, wliereby'zit is moved up andfdowln across the ."faces of said sharpening elements;- and means for'osclllating sald bladeholder about lts'supporting axis to swing the blade holding. end thereoffrom' one sharpeningelement 1 to'the-othe-r," and means "for driving said: various elements together, substantially as "shown and described.

Signed-g at Los Angeles; county. 7 of Los; 

